106 PHILIPPINE RESINS, GUMS, AND OILS 



Boiling point, 155° to 160° (principally 157° to 160°); specific gravity, 



-^=0.8274; N^^°= 1.4620; A^=40.40. 



These properties leave little doubt but that this oil consists principally 

 of the same dihydroterpene that is found in the higher boiling portions 

 of the oil of the ordinary petroleum nut. 



Pittosporum pentandrum is a tree reaching a height of 20 

 meters and a diameter of about 50 centimeters. It is, however, 

 usually much smaller than this. The leaves are alternate, 

 pointed at both ends, about 10 centimeters long and less than 2 

 centimeters in width. The flowers are small, white, fragrant, 

 and are crowded on small flowering branches. The fruits are 

 about a centimeter long and contain a number of seeds. 



This species is common and widely distributed in the Phil- 

 ippines from Luzon to Mindanao, especially in thickets and 

 second-growth forests. Experiments have shown that it grows 

 vigorously in cultivation. 



PITTOSPORUM RESINIFERUM Hemsl. (Fig. 38). PETROLEUM NuT. 



Local names: Abkol, abkel, laiigis (Benguet) ; dingo (Mountain Prov- 

 ince) ; sagdga (Abra). 



PETROLEUM-NUT OIL 



The fruits of this species are known in the Philippines as 

 petroleum nuts because of the fancied resemblance of the odor 

 of the oil to that of petroleum and because even the green fresh 

 fruits will burn brilliantly when a match is applied to them. 



The chemical properties of the oil have been investigated by 

 Bacon.* He found that the oil from the petroleum nut was 

 very interesting, as it contained a dihydroterpene, CioHig, and 

 also considerable quantities of normal heptane, which had only 

 once before been found in nature, occurring in the digger pine 

 (Pinus sabiniana Dougl.) of California. 



In working up the various lots of Pittosporuyn fruits, considerable dif- 

 ferences were noted in the proportion of heptane and dihydroterpene found 

 in the oil, and the season and degree of ripeness of the fruits undoubtedly 

 play a considerable role in this respect. 



The first lot of nuts was obtained from Baguio, Benguet, in the autumn 

 of 1907. One kilo of whole, fresh nuts gave 52 grams of oil on a press. 

 The residue ground up and again pressed yielded an additional 16 grams 



30° 

 of oil; specific gravity=0.883; N _^=1.4577. It was not possible to de- 

 termine the optical rotation. The oil is quite sticky, and in a thin layer 

 rapidly becomes resinous. In an open dish it burns strongly, with a sooty 

 flame. It distills unchanged up to 165°, then with decomposition to give 



* Bacon, R. F., Philippine terpenes and essential oils. III. Philippine 

 Journal of Science, Section A, Volume 4 (1909), page 115. 



